"Waterproof" clothing - am I expecting too much?

[cougie uk]

Thanks all - pretty disappointing but I appreciate the reality check!

To qualify the sweat angle the ride is typically very sedate - nearly all HR zone 1 / sub-60% of max / 120bpm, slow (mean speed yesterday was 11.8mph IIRC) and largely flat. I certainly didn't feel that I was over-heating.

Tbh I think I could just about live with it were it not for the water p*ssing in through the zip, which IMO is very poor. I've heard talk of waxing zips to improve waterproofing so might try this.

Since I'm managing to ride without the rucksack I'm wondering whether I should revert back to my walking shell; which I believe performed a lot better (waterproof zips so no direct ingress, seemingly better through-fabric performance too). Of course not really a fair comparison as that's proper Goretex and cost about 60% more on RRP than the one I'm currently using.

I'm also skeptical of DWR coatings over dedicated membranes given the susceptability to surface wear, and wonder if in the long-term something with a dedicated membrane offers better value relative to cost and useable service life.

I appreciate what people are saying about effectively taking the hit and drying off at the other end.. fine if I'm out on a recreational summer ride and I can shower / dry off at my leasure at home; however changing facilities are limited at work and I don't fancy getting soaked to the skin for the best part of an hour in the sub-zero winds of winter..

Sounds like you had at least a couple of layers on ? Even if I ride easily in one layer I'll be starting to sweat. Add the rain and another layer and it's guaranteed.

 

[wafter]

Gore-Tex is literally stretched PTFE so it very much relies on its physical structure to keep water out and to breathe. I can see how compressing or creasing it could mess things up.

Thanks; didn't know that. Sounds like another product I need to avoid on ethical / environmental grounds, then

What I've found is unless you spend a lot and get a decent goretex jacket then there will be some problem somewhere with it. The best jackets I've had for waterproofness have been Mountain Equipment ones. But these are walking jackets and not really suitable for cycling in. Well you can at a push but its not great with a massive hood blowing about.

Cheers - funnily enough my nice walking jacket is Mountain Equipment. I bit like the Brompton it's been a bit of a love/hate / learning experience to accommodate its perculiarities, but yes - it certainly seems very water resistant and I've not noticed any breathability issues. I've found that you can roll the hood in on itself with the stiffness of the peak keeping it in place a bit like a pseudo-collar..

I have a Altura jersey that is reasonably rain proof but that then leads to the run off at the back soaking my shorts.

Ta - I found similar with my over trousers and socks yesterday; guess that's more of an application issue than a fault of the product however..

Sounds like you had at least a couple of layers on ? Even if I ride easily in one layer I'll be starting to sweat. Add the rain and another layer and it's guaranteed.

Nup - only one very lightweight Rab synthetic base layer and thin synthetic Mountain Warehouse trousers beneath. I think the trouser issue was due to water ingress not sweat as the moisture was on the outside faces of the trousers - i.e. on the flaps that cover the zips on the zip-off legs but not on the fabric beneath.

That said I wonder if there's an argument for sweat evapourating out through the trouser fabric, condensing on the cold inside surface of the over-trousers then soaking back into those beneath...



In other news I've taken another look at the jacket and did wonder if the water was making its way in at any of the features it has (there's a zipped phone pocket and some odd opening in the side of the flap that covers the zip, that I don't understand) however nothing correlates directly with where the water is evidently getting in. I think it's just getting through the zip at some random point defined by where the jacket folds in use and the water just happens to be able to run in at the flap..

 

[raleighnut]

It rains..................you get wet.

 

[oldwheels]

It is old fashioned but there is a lot to be said in favour of a cycle cape, now called a poncho.
I used one for years and still did until recently when I went from 2 wheels to 3.
I commuted for a while 4 miles to work as a postman and used the cape then before going out on my post office bike as I had a cycle route.
Goretex is the best I have found so far but if working hard nothing is going to keep you completely dry.

 

[wafter]

It is old fashioned but there is a lot to be said in favour of a cycle cape, now called a poncho.
I used one for years and still did until recently when I went from 2 wheels to 3.
I commuted for a while 4 miles to work as a postman and used the cape then before going out on my post office bike as I had a cycle route.
Goretex is the best I have found so far but if working hard nothing is going to keep you completely dry.

Thanks and yes, you're not the first to advocate for a cape. Tbh I don't work hard on this commute so that could be an acceptable solution; although I was kind of hoping for a crossover that I could use on other bikes / for other applications too. I also like the idea of being sealed off from the world / cossetted inside my own little environment when the weather turns cold..

 

[Tenkaykev]

Here's a link to the BBC podcast " Sliced Bread " . In this episode it specifically looks into outdoor clothing and is quite thorough in discussing the various materials and relative effectiveness. Well worth a listen.

https://overcast.fm/+QkLRR2DLs

 

[DogmaStu]

I have kit from Santini that basically resembles a cycling wetsuit! It does prevent rain from getting in 100% so it absolutely works but...it means the sweat doesn't wick out as well. A trade-off that wouldn't help a commuter.

A poncho might be better for your use case?

 

[fossyant]

It is old fashioned but there is a lot to be said in favour of a cycle cape, now called a poncho.
I used one for years and still did until recently when I went from 2 wheels to 3.
I commuted for a while 4 miles to work as a postman and used the cape then before going out on my post office bike as I had a cycle route.
Goretex is the best I have found so far but if working hard nothing is going to keep you completely dry.

Just no.

 

[rualexander]

Craghoppers Ascent trousers are rated 5000mm hydrostatic head and 15000g/m2/24h breathability
Brompton London Jacket is rated 15000mm hydrostatic head and 15000g/m2/24h breathability


So neither particularly good, especially the trousers which are rated at the bare minimum hydrostatic head for clothing.
The jacket, it's probably getting in through the zip if your chest is wet, looks like it has an external flap but no internal flap behind the zip.
There's a lot of poor design around in 'waterproof' clothing these days

In comparison Gore-tex has a HH between 20000 and 30000 depending on the version, and a breathabilty rating of 15000-25000.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

What I've found is unless you spend a lot and get a decent goretex jacket then there will be some problem somewhere with it. The best jackets I've had for waterproofness have been Mountain Equipment ones. But these are walking jackets and not really suitable for cycling in. Well you can at a push but its not great with a massive hood blowing about.

One reason why I only buy jackets with roll-down or concealed hoods.

 

[Kingfisher101]

One reason why I only buy jackets with roll-down or concealed hoods.

Yes but then you end up looking like someone off Blackadder because the neck is so cumbersome. You cant win in these situations.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Yes but then you end up looking like someone off Blackadder because the neck is so cumbersome. You cant win in these situations.

Bugger - I wondered why people give me strange looks when wearing them.

 

[Chief Broom]

If i was commuting i'd opt for a textile motorcycle jacket, just remove the armour inserts. Ive always liked good gear and to get off a motorcycle after doing 200 miles in heavy freezing rain and be warm and dry as a bone feels good. My favourite gear was Hein Gericke

 

[tinywheels]

showers pass
they make gear that works.
I've nevhad an issue.

 

[Jameshow]

If i was commuting i'd opt for a textile motorcycle jacket, just remove the armour inserts. Ive always liked good gear and to get off a motorcycle after doing 200 miles in heavy freezing rain and be warm and dry as a bone feels good. My favourite gear was Hein Gericke

https://www.musto.com/en_gb/mpx-gtx...term=Musto+Mpx+Gore-tex+Pro+Offshore+Jacket+R

I reckon an offshore sailing jacket would give them a run for your weatherproofing!!